Who Dat News: Smith and Colston Will Attend Mandatory Minicamp

News: Defensive end Will Smith and wide receiver Marques Colston will participate in the New Orleans Saints mandatory minicamp, according to espn.com. Joel Segal, the agent for both players, said he wanted to clarify speculation that contract disputes could lead both players to miss this weekends mandatory camp, the first of the offseason. "Will's feeling is that if it's mandatory, it's football, then he will be there," said Segal. "We're having (contract) talks with the team on both players. They both have the same philosophy -- they'll play football and I'll deal with the contract."

WhoDatSay: This is great news for a team that desperately needed some at the defensive end position. What was just a month ago perhaps, the deepest position on the defense, has suddenly become a major concern for the Saints. Newly acquired Bobby McCray is injured, and Charles Grant is dealing with an involuntary manslaughter charge. Now, at least the team won't have to worry about a lengthy holdout from arguably their best defensive end. While it appears that neither Smith nor Colston will attempt to leverage his bargaining power by holding out, skipping team activities, or creating off-field drama ala T.O. or Chad Johnson, Loomis would do well to get both of these guys inked for the long term as they are part of a solid core of young players this team can lean on for years to come.

Who Dat News: New Orleans Planning to Bid for 2013 Super Bowl.

News: According to nola.com, several influential NFL owners say they will support a New Orleans bid on the 2013 Super Bowl, and Saints owner Tom Benson says he plans to bring the nation's premier sporting event back to the city after an 11-year dry spell. The Super Bowl alone would create an economic impact of $400 million for the city of New Orleans.

Who Dat Say: The city of New Orleans and the Super Bowl go together like bread and butter. Since the inception of the Super Bowl, New Orleans has hosted the game a record nine times (tied with Miami). With a $193 million renovation after Hurricane Katrina, the Superdome is primed to host another Super Bowl. The Big Game's economic impact would definitely help with the continued rebuilding process in New Orleans, a process which will last until at least 2013 and beyond. And there has never been more hype about football in New Orleans than at the present. The Saints are looking great headed into next season, it's difficult to get your hands on a season ticket with the three year waiting list, and hopefully, we will be hosting (and playing in) another Super Bowl in the near future. It's a great time to be a New Orleanian.

Dining with The Saints

Blackened Out called our attention to this unique opportunity for New Orleanians who love the Saints and enjoy great food. Oh, and it's all for a great cause, the youth of New Orleans. From Blackened Out

"Ever wonder what it would be like to have Deuce place a composed cheese plate in front of you? Or what it would be like if Drew Brees tossed you a roll? Mike McKenzie pouring a vintage Burgundy as Scott Fujita unlids a Chateaubriand? Well, here is your chance. Saints, Food, and a good cause.

In our book, that is a perfect evening. If the link does not work, just go to http://www.neworleanssaints.com/"

Major defensive imports will fix what ailed the Saints

Here is a great article from CBS.sportsline.com's Clark Judge on the Saints' off-season defensive improvements (picture by US Presswire). Judge begins:

When I look at what the New Orleans Saints did since the end of last season, I start wondering who beats them in the NFC South. Carolina should be better, and Tampa Bay's the defending champ, but, honestly, if I had to choose a winner right now, I would probably take the Saints.

And here's why: defense. The Saints look as if they are serious about playing with one.

To read Clark Judge's article in full, link http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10843912/rss.

Realistic Expectations for Robert Meachem

Amidst reports and rumors that Robert Meachem is looking good, practicing hard, and competing for the third wide receiver spot, one can’t help but wonder just what to expect from Meachem in 2008. As most Saints fans know, Meachem posted 0 receptions for 0 yards, combined with his rushing stats (0 yards on 0 carries), in 0 minutes of 0 games last season, not exactly the first year numbers Coach Payton had projected for him. However, the Saints may already have a niche carved out for Meachem in 2008, one which should provide him with the opportunity to get his name on the stat sheets with something other than “DNP” next to it.

When Meachem was drafted, he must have looked like the combination of the best traits of Devery Henderson and Marques Colston. At 6’2”, Meachem is three inches taller than Henderson and has the blazing forty speed (as fast as 4.36) that Colston lacks. One can’t blame the coaching staff for salivating at the prospect of having Reggie Bush, Devery Henderson, and Robert Meachem on the field at the same time. However, that possibility quickly went from prospect to pipe dream in 2007, as Meachem never officially dressed for a single game all season, and the Saints went with veteran David Patten as their consistent number two option. This season, however, the Saints seem to be focusing on a more realistic position for Meachem – replacing Devery Henderson in the offense, a move that makes sense for many reasons.

Devery Henderson seemed to have only one problem catching footballs last season: an intense and insurmountable fear of contact with anything other than the ground. Nine times out of ten, a ball thrown to Henderson between the hash marks and against a defense with safety help would be dropped. If Drew Brees could find a way to get the ball to Henderson on the sideline, there was at least a thirty percent chance that it would be caught. And, if Henderson could find himself all alone and forgotten behind the entire defense, those balls would be caught approximately 60% of the time. Of course those statistics are fabricated, but the truth of the matter is not far off – Devery Henderson drops far too many balls to be considered anything more than an occasional big-play target.

But with all dropped balls and missed opportunities Henderson accounted for last season, he did serve one vital role, keeping the opposing defense from cheating up and stacking the box too often. Henderson gave the Saints an option to go deep on any play, and with a veteran quarterback capable of reading defenses like Brees at the helm, a deep ball was merely an audible away. Meachem is fast, can run a fly route, and reportedly has good hands. These attributes alone should allow him to replace Devery as the Saints’ deep threat and third receiver in 2008. This position should provide a great opportunity for Meachem to produce at a fairly high level, but without much pressure. Although Meachem should be the Saints third option all year, expect him to score six or seven touchdowns this season, with half coming from deep balls and the other half goal line passing situations. Additionally, expect Meachem to see some limited time at the number two wide receiver spot. As an excellent blocker, Meachem should be an asset to the running game as well, and could be used in certain running formations.

Meachem is a good bet to make an important contribution to the Saints’ offense this season. Although he is not yet, and may never be, the solid number two option that will cut down on the double teams Colston sees, Meachem will have to play a significant role in our offense for the Saints to succeed in 2008. Meachem already appears to be in position to beat out Henderson as the third option, and if he can avoid the same mistakes Henderson made last year, he may quickly shed the label of "first round bust."

Who Dat News: CBS Columnist Tabs Reggie as Most Overrated Player in NFL

News: Pete Prisco, a Senior Writer for CBSsports.com has labeled New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush as this year's most overrated NFL player. "Is two years in the NFL enough to earn somebody overrated honors?" Prisco posed. "It is for Reggie Bush." Prisco goes on to say, "In 28 NFL games, Bush has one 100-yard rushing effort. His 3.7 career average per rush is not impressive at all. He does have 161 catches in two seasons, but the Saints expected a lot more with him running with the football when they selected him (#2 overall)."

WhoDatSay: Reggie Bush's production (or the lack thereof) in his first two seasons has been one of the most hotly-debated topics heading in to the 2008 season. Some Saints fans love him and think comments like this are unjustified given the teams poor performance across the board last year; some agree with Prisco; and others have compromised opinions on his past performance and future promise. Next week, we will address the Reggie conundrum by posting your opinions on the running back. Is he a bust? Email your thoughts to whodatsayteam@gmail.com

Who Dat News: Saints Sign Safety to Three-Year Deal

News: Tuff Harris, a defensive back and punt returner who played with the Miami Dolphins last season, has agreed to a three-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, according to the BillingsGazette.com. The Saints signed Harris to provide depth at safety behind starters Josh Bullocks and Roman Harper.

WhoDatSay: Last year, Harris signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Montana and was elevated from the practice squad to the 53-man roster halfway through the 2007 season. Harris' agent, Ken Staninger, recently commented that Harris would be given the opportunity to compete for the Saints' punt return job. While we doubt that Harris will open the season as the Saints' punt returner, the fact that the team has even communicated that to Harris makes us believe that Reggie Bush will not be performing the Saints' special team duties. While we wish Reggie would see more significant time taking punts, we're glad that the Saints see the need to get someone back there other than Lance Moore, who was underwhelming at best last season. It looks like Tracy Porter and now Tuff Harris should push to replace Moore, with Porter looking good at winning the spot.

So Shanle It Is

When off-season acquisition Dan Morgan unexpectedly retired a few days ago, a mini-panic resonated among Saints fans. Questions and inevitable concern abounded: What do we do now? Who will we start at weak-side linebacker? Are we going to go after somebody? If so, who? Two names, in particular, have been thrown around: Cincinnati’s recently released Odell Thurman, and former Philadelphia linebacker Takeo Spikes. Now that Morgan is out of the picture, however, the most likely, and frankly the best scenario for the Saints is that Thurman and Spikes remain right where they are -- on the street -- and that Saints linebacker Scott Shanle remains right where he is -- at starting weak-side linebacker.

Scott Shanle burst onto the scene in his first season here in New Orleans and went from being an essential backup in Dallas to the Saints leading tackler in 2006. In fact, Shanle, along with the likes of Scott Fujita and Hollis Thomas, was one of the names often cited by Saints fans as one of the genius acquisitions made by the Payton regime after its arrival in New Orleans. The signing of Morgan this past off-season, however, indicated that Payton and Loomis were concerned with his drop in production in 2007. At the very least, they wanted to bring in a body to compete with him for the starting spot. But by bringing in Morgan, a player with a significant history of injuries, the Saints also indicated that they were comfortable with the realistic prospect of Shanle again manning the Will spot in 2008. Payton and Loomis had to know that the Morgan signing could have easily ended exactly the way it did -- with Morgan never playing a down for the Saints. Therefore, Payton and Loomis must still have some confidence in Shanle. And for good reason…

Shanle figures to have a much better season in 2008 than he did last year. In 2006, when the club got much better defensive line play, and at the very least more consistent secondary play, Shanle turned in a solid year on the weak-side, registering 97 tackles (73 solo) and 4 sacks. This year's defense, at least on paper, figures to be much closer to the 2006 version than to the 2007 one. The defensive line will be improved, Jonathan Vilma will make everyone around him better, and the law of averages says our secondary has to improve; it certainly couldn’t get much worse. That's good news for Shanle, who is now a virtual lock as the starter on September 7th against Tampa Bay.

And as for the other two names being mentioned, they are both moves that would make no sense for the Saints right now. Neither Odell Thurman nor Takeo Spikes would be an upgrade to this club, and at least one would be a tremendous risk. In the case of Thurman, he was just kicked off the Bengals -- the Bengals -- for lack of discipline and an unwillingness to participate in team activities. Consider what Cincinnati safety Dexter Jackson had to say about Thurman: "To see a young guy with so much potential and so much talent, and let it go to waste … his mindset just wasn't in the [right] place. I wish him the best in whatever he does, but he had the opportunity to be here and be one of the best, but he didn't capitalize on his opportunities." That just doesn't sound like a Sean Payton football player. Payton is a Bill Parcells disciple; the last thing he is going to do is bring in a bad egg to a team that he feels has a shot to make a deep playoff run. Couple that with the fact that Thurman has been out of football for two years, and there's no reason to take a risk on him. Whereas the Morgan risk had a minimal downside (we are seeing it now), the Thurman risk has a huge downside, and one that Sean Payton is probably not willing to take.

The other name mentioned, Takeo Spikes, has just had age and a long career catch up with him. He will simply never regain the form he had in the prime of his career when he was making 120+ tackles a year. He had a bad ACL tear in 2005, and is entering his 11th year in the league. Plus, the club learned its lesson in trying out a player on the downside of his career in Brian Simmons last year. It won't make that mistake again. Now that the Morgan experiment is over, Payton and Loomis seem to be comfortable with a Fujita-Vilma-Shanle combination at linebacker. It makes no sense at this point to bring in Spikes, who can't compete with Vilma in the middle and is too slow at this point in his career to man the outside in place of Shanle.

The bottom line is that Shanle is what most other players in the league are -- pretty darn good at what they do assuming everyone else around them is decent at what he does. He will never be a Pro Bowler, and he will never be the guy mentioned as the leader of our defense. Nonetheless, with a good supporting cast (something we figure to be closer to having this year), Shanle is very far from being a liability. When the Saints re-signed him after the 2006 campaign, Mickey Loomis had this to say, "Making sure Scott returned to our team was one of our priorities entering the off-season. He is a player who is an integral part of the group that we want to build around. This is a really positive way to get 2007 started." Based on the moves they have made, Loomis and Payton still believe that about Shanle, and Shanle's production in 2008 should do justice to those comments.

Who Dat Say News: Vilma Practicing

News: The Times Picayune reports that Saints middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma is practicing with the team, and according to onlookers, seems to be making solid progress. According to Coach Sean Payton, "He's participating in half a practice, seven-on-seven drills, and it's been very good." It's been real positive so far."

Who Dat Say: Morgan retires, but Vilma is looking good - although not ideal, a scenario we all would have accepted when we got these guys. While participating in seven-on-seven drills is a far cry from running full-speed laterally across the field to tackle whichever running backs our NFC South rivals decide to trot out this season, it's certainly a sign of progress. If Vilma can come back and be a 100-tackle guy this season, we're a different defense. If Grant can resolve his legal problems, we will have great defensive ends for another year. If Hollis Thomas can lose some weight, and if Ellis is the real deal, our defensive line rotation will be considerably better than last season's version. If Randall Gay fits in with our defense, if Usama Young can contribute, if Mike McKenzie can get healthy... These are the "if's" that will define our 2008-2009 campaign, Saints fans, and at the top of the list of "if's" is Jonathan Vilma. While all we can do at the moment is speculate, it's exciting to know that we really have the opportunity to turn it around on defense, but only if...

Who Dat News: Smith Wants to Retire as a Saint

News: In a recent interview, Will Smith told reporters that contract talks with the Saints are ongoing, according to uticaod.com. Smith indicated that he would like to remain a Saint, but only if the contract is right: “I’d like to stay with the same team my whole career… I love New Orleans. I love the people there … But then again, it’s a business.”

Who Dat Say: If we can spend $63 million on Charles Grant, why can’t we do the same for Will Smith, who was selected as a team captain last year? I expect the Saints to do whatever it takes to keep our pass-rushing defensive end in New Orleans, especially considering the organization’s apparent desire to mimic the Giants’ success last year in establishing a dominant front four. Grant still has 6 years remaining on the monster contract he signed last year, and Sedrick Ellis will probably get a 5-year rookie contract. If we can lock up Smith for another five to seven years, that means these three potential stars on the defensive line will be terrorizing Matt Ryan for the next five years.

Who Dat Say News: Grant Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter

News: According to the AP, New Orleans Saints defensive end Charles Grant has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for his role in a bar fight back in February. The fight took place at a Georgia nightclub and resulted in the death of Korynda Reed and her unborn fetus.

Who Dat Say: Let's not rush to judgment on this one. Another patron of the nightclub, Laquient Macklin, has been charged with felony murder and feticide, which means that Macklin likely fired the shots that killed Reed in the course of the fight. Based upon the charges, it appears Charles Grant is being charged with involuntary manslaughter soley for his participation in the altercation. Five other individuals were hit with the same charges as Grant. So what does this all mean? Roger Goodell is nothing if not a disciplinarian who holds his NFL players to a very high standard of conduct. Whether Grant ever touched the woman who was killed, he was in one way or another, a participant in a fight. Therefore, a suspension could be coming down any day. However, Commissioner Gooddell has yet to step in and issue any punishment, which may mean that he is waiting for the legal system to engage in some fact-finding before he takes action. Goodell has known about the incident for months now. And it's entirely possible that Grant was merely defending himself from an attacker in a fight that ultimately lead to someone's death - an extremely unfortunate position for anyone to be put in, but a position in which NFL players seem to find themselves from time to time. Grant was, after all, stabbed in the neck, and according to the AP, the shots were fired before Grant was stabbed. Until we know what really happened though, it would be reckless of us to speculate any further. We support Charles Grant, and we hope those responsible for the death of a woman and her unborn child are brought to justice at all costs, regardless of who those people may be.

NOLA A Brees For Saints QB

Yesterday, outside of Cafe DuMonde in the French Quarter at 6:30am (an hour and a half prior to the Saints first OTA meeting), Drew Brees sat down with Alexis Glick of Fox Business to speak about several topics. Here is the link to the interview. Gotta love Brees.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=531120&referralPlaylistId=4c29dcd75741dd8d848434d8fc081ad9df23585a

Carolina Bet Update; Necessary Grammar Lesson for Panther Fans

As most of you know, last week WhoDatSay.com challenged the entire Carolina Panther nation to two separate bets for this upcoming season. The first was that the Saints would sweep the series against the Panthers, and the second was that Reggie Bush would have more total yards from scrimmage than DeAngelo Williams. While we are still in negotiations concerning the bet with two Carolina fan sites that shall remain nameless, we did hear back from a Carolina Panther fan named Gengiz. This fan’s passion is not questioned. What concerns us, though, are his various grammatical shortcomings. We at WhoDatSay.com, like the rest of the great city of New Orleans, are good people. We believe in civility, helping others, and the correct use of the English language. Therefore, out of the goodness of our collective heart, we have decided to correct the grammar of this passionate Carolina fan. We also believe this will help Panther nation in general, as some of its previous responses to our posts have indicated a rather lackluster level of education on their part (claiming that there is an overabundance of offensive weaponry in Carolina, for example). We understand that grammar is not easy. That’s why we’re here to help. Below, you will find the original email written by Gengiz. We have included numbers in brackets in the mail. Below the email are the corrections that correspond to the numbers. Let's get started, class.

LOL! [1] Oh pleeease tell me whats the bet? You wont be sweeping the panthers. The super dome is our 2nd home. Havent lost a game their [2] since 2000. We own you there! [3] Oh yeah, and if Deangello Williams [4] a bust then Reggie Bush must be the Ryan Leaf of running backs. Here are their [5] stats from last year.

D.Williams 144 attempts, 717 yards, 5 yards per carry average, 4 Tds
Reggie Bush 157 attempts, 581 yards, 3.7 yards per carry average, 4 Tds

Keep in mind Reggie Bush started most of the season after Duece got hurt where as [6] Williams was backing up Foster. Not to mention Bush was the #2 overall pick in the draft where Williams went 26. OUCH! Let me know your terms as long as they are reasonable! You guys truely [7] are delusional [8]!

[1] LOL is an acronym for the words “Laugh Out Loud.” It is most frequently used by prepubescent teenage girls when commenting about their photos on Myspace or Facebook. It should never be used by a guy.

[2] Here, the correct word would have been “there.” Distinguishing correctly between “there” and “their” is a mistake often made by those new to the language. “Their” is used to indicate possession or belonging, whereas “there” is used to describe a place. Here, because you were talking about the Superdome, a place, “there” would have been the correct choice.

[3] Very good. Here you got it right.

[4] All sentences need a verb, which is a word that denotes the sentence’s action. In this case, “is” would have been acceptable. “Is” would have sufficiently carried the action of the sentence’s subject, “DeAngelo Williams.”

[5] Very good again. Here you were able to distinguish correctly between “there” and “their” for the second time in a row.

[6] “Whereas” would have been the correct word here. This is yet another mistake made by those in the beginning stages of trying to tackle the language. The word “whereas” is a conjunction that dates back to the 14th century. Its origins come from two separate words “where” and “as” (hence your confusion). For the last 700 years, however, both of these words have been written as one. Also, the word “tackle” as used earlier is not to be taken literally -- it is used merely as a figure of speech. Your familiarity with the word “tackle” (a “tackle” by your beloved Panther defenders, for example) is an entirely different thing.

[7] Here the correct spelling of the word is “truly.” We can see why the error was made, though, as one could easily think that the natural progression of the word “true” would be truely. Nonetheless, “truly” is and always has been the accepted spelling. We realize that there are a lot of words to learn, and that not all of them can be spelled correctly.

[8] Very good. You followed up your previous gaffe of “truly” with quite a fine job with this rather lengthy and complicated word.

And so there you have it, Carolina Panther nation. What more could you ask of your division rivals than a nice and necessary grammar lesson? We hope that this proves useful to you, and look forward to its being put into practice in future comments that you make on our site.

As for the bet, details and participating site(s) will be released as soon as they are official.

Who Dat News: Dan Morgan Retires

News: According to a press release from the Saints on Monday afternoon, Dan Morgan has decided to call it a career. "When we signed Dan, he was committed to making a fresh start, and he was making every effort to rehabilitate the leg injury that he suffered last year," Coach Sean Payton said in the team's statement. "But it wasn't responding as well as he had hoped it would. We wish him well in his continued recovery, and he will be remembered for the excellent player he was during his career."

Who Dat Say: Well, so much for that experiment. We at WhoDatSay were tentatively penciling in Morgan as the Saints' starting outside linebacker. While we weren't certain he would replace Scott Shanle due to his history of concussions, we did not think the torn achilles was the injury that would eventually lead to his retirement. It's always bad to lose a player as talented as Morgan, but at least the Saints didn't give anything up for him - Morgan was a free agent. From the Saints' standpoint, he was basically a risk-free investment that just didn't work out. But many questions will arise in the wake of Morgan's retirement. First, will the Saints target any other free agent linebackers that are available? Second, would this have changed the draft strategy for Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis had they known Morgan was set to retire? Third, who is going to start at outside linebacker? In the meantime, I'm sure we will have to grin and bear it from our "friends" in baby blue and black. On the bright side for Morgan, at least he got to go out a winner.

Following the Leaders

The NFL is very much a copycat league – if it works for one team, others are going to try it. There is no better example of this trend than the spread of the “West Coast Offense,” which was implemented by Bill Walsh during his tenure as assistant coach for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 – 1975. When Walsh became head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, he installed a modified version of this system, and ended up winning three Super Bowls during that time. Later, several of Walsh's assistants and coordinators went on to successfully implement this system while coaching other teams. George Seifert won two Super Bowls with the 49ers after Walsh retired; Mike Shanahan won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos; and Mike Holmgren won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers and coached in another with the Seattle Seahawks.

One can already see the signs of the continuance of this trend as teams make off-season moves and attempt to duplicate the New York Giants’ recipe for success. Were the Giants the best overall team last season? Definitely not. Did they have the best overall offense? Not even close. Did they have the best overall defense? It’s debatable. But what they did have without any question was the best front seven. With the recent rule emphasis on Illegal Contact and Pass Interference penalties, passing offenses have been gouging defenses because defensive backs have much less freedom to redirect receivers through physical play. Defensive coordinators have had a difficult time adapting, but the Giants seem to have provided the blueprint from which other copycat teams will build their roster. Instead of loading up a roster with expensive defensive backs like Asante Samuel, DeAngelo Hall, and Nate Clements, some teams appear to be focusing on their front seven in order to enhance their pass rush and control the game from the line. The Saints are currently members of this copycat group.

Throughout the 2007 season, the Giants’ defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, perfected the 4-3 defense and in the end proved that a team doesn’t need an elite secondary in order to win the Super Bowl. Last season, the Giants’ defense racked up a league-leading 61 total sacks and only allowed an average of 97.7 rushing yards per game, which was 8th best in the NFL. All but 10 of their sacks came from their defensive linemen and linebackers. In the Super Bowl, the Giants defense only allowed 45 rushing yards on 16 carries, which amounted to a measly 2.6 rushing yards per carry. Their defense sacked Tom Brady 5 times, forced a fumble, and intercepted a pass. The Giants were able to rack up these numbers because, unlike the Saints, they had a deep defensive line rotation and solid linebacker play, which allowed them to keep their starters fresh. The Giants’ defensive linemen and linebackers were also getting to the quarterback quickly, putting far less of a burden on their cornerbacks and safeties, who despite not being shutdown players, fared well against the accomplished Patriots receivers.

Good NFL teams need depth, and compared to the Super Bowl champion Giants, the 2007 Saints had very little on the defensive side of the ball. As a disciple of Nick Saban, Gary Gibbs would love to pressure the quarterback from all possible angles, but the Saints defense simply lacks the talent. In no one stat is the lack of talent and athleticism of the Saints defense more evident than in the fact that Mark Simoneau and Scott Shanle combined for two sacks all of last season. They’re great for run support, as all linebackers must be, but they can’t blitz the quarterback or cover tight ends and running backs coming out of the backfield; with Simoneau and Shanle on the field, it’s difficult to put much pressure on a quarterback.

All that said, Sean Payton recognized the need to bolster the front seven this past off-season through free agency and the draft. The Saints signed the best middle linebacker available, Jonathan Vilma, who many believe is the third best middle linebacker in the NFL when healthy. Payton also added former 1st round pick, Dan Morgan. While Morgan has been very injury-prone in the past and suffers from frequent concussions, the Saints plan to move him from middle to outside linebacker in the hope that he will take fewer head-on hits. These two additions alone may have been the two biggest steals of the off-season. The biggest positive about acquiring Vilma and Morgan though, is that they are both low-risk, high-reward moves. If neither Vilma nor Morgan pan out, we are only losing a fourth round pick and picking up relatively small contracts.

The Saints made further efforts to upgrade their front seven in this year’s draft, selecting defensive linemen, Sedrick Ellis and DeMario Pressley, with two of their first three picks. Some would argue that drafting two defensive tackles when other team needs existed was overkill, but both Ellis and Pressley could get significant playing time this season. Although drafting two defensive tackles doesn't necessarily spell doom for incumbents Hollis Thomas and Brian Young, provided Pressley makes the team, defensive tackle should be a deep position for the Saints this season. The Saints’ rotation next year could include Thomas, Ellis, Young and Pressley, along with Antwan Lake and Kendrick Clancy. That rotation, along with Pro Bowl caliber defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith and off-season addition Bobby McCray, should leave the Saints with a formidable defensive line in 2008. Not to mention, the Saints’ front seven now features five first-round draft picks. And, should the Saints suffer an injury or two, they will now have capable replacements, instead of guys nobody has ever heard of like Josh Cooper.

As the Giants proved in 2007, a team doesn’t need an elite secondary to win championships. As my co-writer Vern’s article (http://saintsgomarching.blogspot.com/2008/05/rome-was-not-built-in-day.html) pointed out on Tuesday, great dynasties of the past have frequently been built upon an elite quarterback and either a top 5 offense or defense. The Saints have an elite quarterback and should rank in the top 5 offensively again this season; now, they’re focusing on building that championship defense by following the lead of the Giants. The Saints are now building a strong front seven with sufficient depth. If the Saints can effectively copy the blueprint the Giants created, then Saints fans should look forward to some lower scoring games this season, from their opponents at least.

Who Dat News: Another Year of EJ

News: The New Orleans Saints are no longer pursuing New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, according to a recent interview with Saints GM Mickey Loomis. "It's no secret we had some discussions with them and we just couldn't come to a conclusion on the right compensation," Loomis told Sirius NFL Radio. "But for the most part that's dead," he said of the trade talks. "I don't anticipate that being rekindled." The club will once again go with Eric Johnson as their primary option at tight end.

WhoDatSay: We credit Loomis for not overpaying for Shockey as the asking price was simply too high. Unfortunately, that means one more year of the disappointing Eric Johnson. One more year of Eric Johnson tip-drilling balls to opposing secondaries. One more year of 4 yards per catch. One more year of frustration for Saints fans, but hey, we're used to it, when is the last time we had a good tight end? Hopefully the tight ends on our roster can combine for some production this year though.

Who Dat Say Reader Questions

Throughout the week email your questions to whodatsayteam@gmail.com. Remember, there are no stupid questions -- just stupid people that ask them. Those people will be ignored.

This weeks questions courtesy of Glenn Becnel -- Harahan, La.

Glenn: It seems that there are many boom or bust selections by the Saints in the draft. Based on your initial reports, who will be a boom and who will be a bust?

WhoDaySay (Vern): First off, let me say that I really like what the Saints did this year. I feel the front office had a more basic approach this year than in past drafts, and I believe it will prove beneficial. They still went after the best available player; this time, those players just happened to fit a desperate need. As for the "boom" of the class, I think that will end up being Sedrick Ellis. Although, I was tempted to say Carl Nicks because of his draft position and early impressions, I believe it's Ellis who has the pro-bowl ability and professional maturity to be one of the more successful defensive tackles in the league. And, he plays the position that will most positively affect our defense. He should instantaneously make Will Smith and Charles Grant better, which in turn affects the quarterback, which in turn helps the secondary. His ability to prevent opposing centers and guards from reaching the second level should allow Vilma, Fujita, and Morgan (or Shanle) to flourish. Adrian Arrington may be the sexy pick, but Ellis (as his top 10 selection should indicate) will be the monster of this class. For the "bust" of this class, I look at the other defensive tackle we brought in, DeMario Pressley. My only reason for this is that Sean Payton went out of his way in his post mini-camp press conference to commend every rookie but Pressley. Call it the poker player in me, but I tend to read in to these little hints, as right now it's our only clue. When asked if there were any players who have turned some heads, Payton responded, "Nicks has done a good job of stepping in and when you look at Ellis, he's been a pain in the rear for a couple days now with splitting some double-teams and getting in the backfield. Porter has showed some of the cover skills that we were anticipating that we'd see and (Adrian) Arrington has done a good job of handling the assignments. He's a pretty sharp kid. Overall, I've been encouraged. With Pressley, it's just the consistency and staying healthy and some of those things. He's going to be able to get stronger in our program and I think that's going to be important for him. I think he can improve in that area and we talked a little bit about that yesterday." Yeah, right now the bust is definitely Pressley.

Glenn: When the 2008 season starts, what will be our starting defensive lineup or will we even field a defense in 2008?

WhoDatSay (Vern): My projected starting eleven on defense right now:

RE – Will Smith
DT – Sedrick Ellis (nose)
DT – Bryan Young (3-tech)
LE – Charles Grant
SLB – Scott Fujita
MLB – Jonathan Vilma
WLB – Dan Morgan*
RCB – Jason David*
LCB – Mike McKenzie*
FS – Josh Bullocks
SS – Roman Harper

*If McKenzie is not ready to open the season as a starter, then Randall Gay will get the nod over Usama Young.
*I don't really like putting Jason David in the starting eleven, but based on Mickey Loomis' most recent comments -- "Jason had a tough year, a tough transition period, going from the [Cover 2] defense that the Colts played to the defense that we played. What we asked him to do, in terms of being out on an island and covering guys man-for-man more often than he did with the Colts, it took an adjustment period for him. But he's got the ability to be a good corner for us, and that's what we expect." — based upon that statement, I believe he will be the starter come opening day.
*The last uncertainty is Morgan starting over Shanle, but I think if Morgan is healthy, it's his job to lose.

Glenn: Would you rather have the gum chewing Sean Peyton as coach or nice guy (big brass ones) Les Miles as Saints coach?

WhoDatSay (The Dowg): Sean Payton. This Football Coach is the right guy at the right time for the Black and Gold. Make no mistake about it. He's tough, he's smart, and he's a winner. For a town and team that's been sorely lacking that throughout its history, I'm not sure we could have found a better fit than the Football Coach. And he will win, don't you worry about that. Not to take anything away from Miles in Baton Rouge. Les is doing quite a bang-up job 60 miles up-river. And, as you point out, he is very nice. He's the Nice Guy. And that counts for something. In fact, word out of Baton Rouge is that his favorite part of the game is the halftime interview with his dear friend Jordy Hultberg. His favorite off-the-field activity? The Wednesday night love-fest with Jim Hawthorne live from Walk-On's. A distant third? The speeches to the kiddies at Mainieri's summer baseball camps. I'm nice, you're nice, we're all nice.

Miles is a great fit in Baton Rouge. Payton is a great fit here in the Big Easy. I think they both belong just where they are.

Who Dat News: Ellis to Compete With Thomas for Starting Spot

News: According to the SunHerald.com, Sedrick Ellis and Hollis Thomas are expected to compete for a defensive tackle starting job during training camp. Thomas has consistently reported to camp overweight and out of shape, and if he does so again this season, Ellis should have the inside track to the starting job.

Who Dat Say: Payton's mentality has always been that the guys who work hardest and produce are the guys who see the field on Sunday, and that mentality is certainly not going to change for Sedrick Ellis - Ellis isn't going to be handed anything. At the same time, the Saints surely didn't draft Sedrick Ellis with the #7 overall pick so that he could ride the bench, ala Jonathan Sullivan. Although Ellis will likely be the starter on opening day, Hollis Thomas is a proven player who can rotate with Ellis in order to keep both players fresh. There is also a very good chance that both space-eaters will be on the field at the same time depending on the down and distance (i.e. obvious running plays). Both players should benefit from each other's presence, as Ellis will have a veteran to learn from, and Thomas will have a young player eager to take his playing time. Not to mention, when you weigh well over 300 pounds like Thomas does, you need to take frequent breaks. One way or another, we should see less Hollis Thomas doubled over and panting in between plays this season.

Standing up for the Boys in Black and Gold

Who Dat Say hereby issues a challenge to all the Panthers fans that visit our site.

We bet the Saints go 2-0 against your Panthers this season. If the series is split, team that goes further in the playoffs wins. Please email us to discuss terms at whodatsayteam@gmail.com and set the value of the bet. Pertinent information to be exchanged.

Further, because we feel Deangleo Williams is a complete bust, we are willing to wager that Reggie Bush has more total yardage than Williams this season.

Who's standing up for the Panthers?

Carolina Call Out

Dear Panthers Fans,

Please drop by tomorrow for a special offer from us.

Sincerely,

The Whodatsay Staff

Who Dat News: David Roach at Saints Minicamp

News: Safety David Roach (now # 37 on the saints roster) admitted that he felt the pressure to make it through the summer's final roster cuts during rookie minicamp this past weekend, according to reporternews.com. Roach said, "There is pressure all the time. You're being evaluated every time you step on the field, every time you step into the facility. But you can't focus on that pressure. If you do, you're gonna break. You're gonna bust." Despite appreciating the opportunity to compete with other big name pros, Roach made it clear that he's here for one reason: to make this team and contribute right away. "You can't stand in awe of any player," he said. "You can't say, 'Oh, my gosh, that's (running back) Reggie Bush!' You have to understand, 'I'm a professional athlete now. That's what I do.' As cocky as it sounds, you have to tell yourself, 'I'm the best at what I do,' go out there and get the job done."

Who Dat Say: Roach is a small school kid from TCU and the very definition of a long-shot to make the final roster, despite the fact that he plays a position of dire need for the Saints, safety. As a testament to just how bad our safeties are, Chris Reis, brought in to be a training camp body last season, ended up seeing playing time toward the end of the year. However, Reis is the exception, and the reality is that there are hundreds of guys like David Roach every season that are called to rookie minicamps. Although no one will ever hear of 99% of the David Roachs of this world, one can only imagine how exciting it must be to get a jersey with a number on it for a professional football team, to walk the facilities, practice with the coaches, learn the basics of an NFL defense, and meet guys like Reggie Bush and Drew Brees. Regardless of how Roach’s story ends, most NFL fans would probably give a lot to walk a mile in his shoes right now. Rooting for an underdog is one of the true joys of sport, and we at Whodatsay will always be rooting for Roach and guys like him. Unfortunately for this underdog, the Saints have 85 players currently signed and can only take 80 to training camp, meaning 5 more will have to hit the road before the real work even gets started.

Who Dat Say News: Saints getting National Pub (Sort Of)

News: ESPN.com writer Pat Yasinskas predicts that the Saints are the team most poised to make a turnaround this year. Calling the Saints the "best 7-9 team in the league last year," Yasinskas says that the 2008 Saints will make a run "deep into the postseason." His reason for the turnaround? A much improved defense. "The big reason the Saints will fare a lot better than last year is their defense. They jumped up in the draft to get USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, and that's going to turn out to be one of the biggest moves of the offseason. Ellis is going to jam the middle, giving the Saints a chance to have some defensive playmakers for the first time in coach Sean Payton's tenure. Ellis' presence will allow linebackers Jonathan Vilma and Dan Morgan to jump-start careers that had stalled elsewhere because they'll be able to roam untouched from sideline to sideline. That's going to jump-start the defense and make the Saints one of the league's best teams."

WhoDatSay: We would like to thank Mr. Yasinskas for recognizing that the Saints were the best 7-9 team last year, and that our beloved Black and Gold are the most likely candidate for a "turnaround" this year, but unfortunately we learned the hard way last season that it doesn't matter what they say about you in the preseason. If the Pat Yasinska's of the world would have had their way last year, the Saints would have made their first Super Bowl in franchise history. That's not to say that we don't agree with Mr. Yasiska about the 2008 Saints. We think Sedrick Ellis and Jonathan Vilma will do wonders for our defense as well. Rather, we recognize it is healthy for purposes of our life expectancy to point out that Mr. Yasinskas' prediction is neither a revelation nor a prophecy, but just a prediction.

Who Dat Say News: Payton, Loomis Confident Saints Can Return to NFC Elite; David will be Counted On

News: Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis feel the Saints should be back in the championship hunt provided they stay healthy, according to SI.com. "Those are the types of expectations that we have of ourselves," says Loomis. When asked about embattled cornerback Jason David, Loomis had this to say, "We have not by any stretch of the imagination given up on Jason David," says Loomis. "Jason had a tough year, a tough transition period, going from the [Cover 2] defense that the Colts played to the defense that we played. What we asked him to do, in terms of being out on an island and covering guys man-for-man more often than he did with the Colts, it took an adjustment period for him. But he's got the ability to be a good corner for us, and that's what we expect."

Who Dat Say: Jason David could very well be the most disliked Saints player since … well, since Josh Bullocks. When receivers blew by David as he stared down the quarterback in the backfield instead of keeping his eyes on the receiver, it was frustratingly obvious at times that David was playing as if he were still in a cover 2. To be fair, Bullocks deserves as much blame as David for his complete inability to help out on the deep ball. Regardless, I do think David has the skills to compete if he can ever, as Loomis says, adapt to our man coverage scheme. He does have the quickness and speed to keep up with top-notch receivers if he can only break those terrible habits. Because of his lack of size, at 5’8” and 180 pounds, I doubt David will become a great corner, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him thrive as a nickel back.

Rome Was Not Built in a Day

There are two ways NFL head coaches and general managers build professional football franchises capable of winning Super Bowls, and patience seems to be the only variable between them. Teams can build for the future to win consistently or mortgage the future to win now. Some teams, such as the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots refuse to make large sweeping personnel moves; rather they continuously find value in each free agent signing and draft pick. The Colts or Patriots will never package a heap of draft picks to move up in round one to get that "need to have player" necessary to win a Super Bowl.

On the other hand, some teams cling to hopes of winning a Super Bowl this year and choose to mortgage their future to achieve that end. For example, the Jaguars traded away their first round pick, two thirds, and a fourth-round draft pick to acquire Florida's Derrick Harvey. And, a year after trading their 2008 first-round pick for Brady Quinn, the Browns traded their second and third round picks for Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers, rendering them “pick-less” until round four. Very rarely, if ever, does the decision to mortgage the future not come at too steep a price. Luckily, for Saints fans, the Saints appear to have their future in mind with every move they make. They are building a team in hopes of winning not one Lombardi Trophy, but several.

Although the Giants are the reigning Super Bowl champs, they are not a franchise built for the future. They will not be a dynasty. Teams that are consistently successful (as measured by their ability to compete for Super Bowls) always have two things in common: an elite QB and a consistent top 5 ranking on offense or defense. The two dominant professional football franchises of the new millennium have been the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots. The Colts have an elite quarterback in Peyton Manning and have been consistently ranked in the top 5 in total offense for the past several years. The Patriots also have a superstar quarterback in Tom Brady, and last year (in their bid for perfection) were ranked tops in the league in total offense – prior to that, for the past several years, it was their defense that was ranked among the best in the NFL. The dynasties of the 1990’s, the Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys, boasted the same. Denver had their elite quarterback in Elway and a top 5 offense (and in 1997, a top 5 defense, too). Dallas had Aikman and a top 5 offense throughout their reign. San Francisco was perhaps the greatest of them all. The '49ers won the Lombardi Trophy five times in the 80's and 90's behind the superior quarterback play of Joe Montana and Steve Young and consistently had offenses or defenses (and sometimes both) ranked in the top 5 of the league.

So if the formula for consistent success is a team with an elite quarterback and a top five ranking on one side of the ball, where do the Saints stack up right now? While Drew Brees may not be in the same category as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, few would argue that he has not been an elite NFL quarterback the past two seasons. Last year he finished behind only Brett Favre and Tom Brady (but ahead of Peyton Manning) in passing yards; and in 2006, he led the entire league. While the Saints no longer boast the Dome Patrol defense, the team has had no issues finding offensive success over the past two seasons. They finished first in the league in total offense in 2006 and fifth in 2005. In common with past NFL dynasties, the Saints have an elite QB and a consistent top-five offense. With Sean Payton calling the plays for a team whose offensive starters average 27 years of age (25 for their three big playmakers, Brees, Colston, and Bush), it's safe to assume that there will be little if any drop-off in total offense over the next several years. The Saints window of opportunity is just beginning to open.

So far, however, even with those pieces, the Saints have failed to make it to the big game, which is less than every one of our division rivals can say. Carolina and Atlanta made the big game in 2004 and 1999 respectively, and Tampa Bay won it in 2003. Unfortunately for those teams it is 2008, and last I checked, Jake Delhomme and Tampa's five QB's (even if you combined their skill-sets) are not elite; and Atlanta will be hard-pressed to finish the season in the top twenty in offense or defense, much less the top five. Also, the once-vaunted defenses of the Panthers and Buccaneers are no longer as dominant. It's not that they are bad; quite frankly they're much better than what the Saints strutted out the past two seasons – but we're looking for top 5, remember. Sure, teams can win a Super Bowl without having an elite QB and top 5 offense or defense – the Giants proved that last year and, as mentioned above, Tampa proved it in '03 -- but they won't do it consistently. Teams need both. If the Baltimore Ravens would have had an elite quarterback to complement one of the best defenses in NFL history we may be talking about them as the great dynasty of the early 2000’s. Too bad Trent Dilfer, Elvis Grbac, Kyle Boller, or Steve McNair didn’t fit the bill as “elite.”

Teams that have the necessary ingredients do not have to make rash personnel decisions in order to remain competitive. They can be more patient. Recently, in negotiating with the New York Giants for tight-end Jeremy Shockey, the Saints proved they are not willing to mortgage their future; rather they exhibited the patience necessary to build a dynasty. The team made a fair offer for the tight end during the draft, but was rebuked. New York, reasonably so, demanded higher compensation than a 2^nd and 5^th round pick, but the Saints chose not to sweeten their offer. Since then, I have heard such things as "we should trade next year's first round pick for Shockey because we can win with him now, and there is no telling what next years' pick will produce." As for me, I was happy when Loomis didn't allow the Giants to force his hand in overpaying for Shockey, and believe we should not even consider giving up our 2009 first-round pick for him. I was happy when we didn't throw millions at Asante Samuel to lure him to New Orleans (much like the Buccaneers did when they made Jeff Faine the highest paid center in the league). I was happy when we refused to mortgage the farm for Glenn Dorsey (much like the Panthers did when they gave the Eagles a second and fourth-round pick in last month's draft and their first-round pick next year for a player who, by most accounts, was just the fourth or fifth best-rated lineman available – sorry Coach Fox, but Jeff Otah is not going to win Carolina the Lombardi Trophy either).

In the last two cases, teams have made personnel decisions that will put them behind the eight ball for the future all in hopes of competing for the playoffs this season. Why? Carolina and Tampa are not winning the Super Bowl this year. The Saints may not either, but at least we are not paying players and making draft moves that will short-change us for next year… or the year after. While Jacksonville was giving up the farm (four picks) for Derrick Harvey, the Saints gave up one third-rounder for Sedrick Ellis. When Carolina was sending 3 picks to Philly for Jeff Otah, the Saints were sending the Jets a mere fourth-rounder for Jonathan Vilma. While other teams in the NFC South tried desperately to answer all their personnel questions in one off-season, the Saints understood that it is not always prudent or possible to do so. They were content to leave a few needs unanswered when they refused to overpay for a tight-end or a corner back (remind anyone of Belichik?).

I understand that many Saints fans would rather just make the big game like Carolina did in 2004, or Atlanta did in 1999 (or preferably win it like Tampa did in 2003), and could care less about "building a dynasty." But why think small? Please don't buy in to that stupid cliché that states "the future is now!" People who think that way have little foresight. Teams that mortgage their future to win now have an itch and they scratch it. They truly believe that they are only one player away from winning the Super Bowl. But they will wake up to the reality that all they did was cripple their franchise.

As the 2008 season approaches, Saints fans should know that they cheer for a team that is very close to exploding through the weak NFC ranks. They follow an organization that is finally doing it the right way. The men running the show (Loomis and Payton) are building this team for the long haul, not the short. The Saints have their elite quarterback, Drew Brees, and one of the NFL’s top five offenses – and neither appears to be going away any time soon. Those are the two things dynasties are built upon. Rather than selling out for now, our front office is putting in for later. Fans should enjoy the ride – the next five years will be the best Saints history may have to offer.

Who Dat Say News: Coach Payton Creates Payton's Play It Forward Foundation

News: According to NewOrleansSaints.com, Saints Head Coach Sean Payton, and wife, Beth, proudly announced today the formation and launch of the Payton's Play It Forward Foundation. Payton's Play It Forward Foundation will serve as a catalyst and fund-raising vehicle for various non-profit organizations to build and support their infrastructures, extend their reach, and bring effective programs to scale. These multiple approaches shall serve to advance the mission of enriching lives and strengthening the New Orleans community and the Gulf South region.

Who Dat Say: This city loves its coach, and this move should only strengthen that love. Plus, with all the bonus money Payton is set to make for taking the Saints to the Superbowl this season, he should have a little change to throw around.

Who Dat News: Ellis and Porter Already Impressive

News: According to thetowntalk.com, Saints coach Sean Payton liked what he saw from Sedrick Ellis and Tracy Porter at the team’s rookie mini-camp held this past weekend. Neither player has quite adapted to the humidity and weather conditions here in Louisiana, but Payton spoke highly of both players. "When you look at Ellis, he's been a pain in the rear for a couple of days now splitting some double teams and getting in the backfield." "Porter showed some of the coverage skills we're anticipating… and has good ball skills."

Who Dat Say: What is so impressive about Ellis is that he is big and strong enough to anchor in the nose, but also quick and agile enough to penetrate from the three technique. Payton played him at both positions in the recent mincamp and said he will continue to do so. Unlike former first round pick Jonathan Sullivan, Ellis also looks the part: He is not a pudgy 21-year old kid, but a beast of a man. As for Porter, we are not expecting him to have as much of an immediate impact as Ellis; but it would certainly be nice to have another corner besides Mike McKenzie who can cover and also display good ball skills.

Who Dat Say News: Arrington the Next Colston?

News: According to the Sun Herald, former Michigan receiver Adrian Arrington, who was picked in the 7th round, #237 overall, hopes he'll soon be labeled a draft-day steal. Arrington was already well aware of Marques Colston's success story when the New Orleans Saints selected him. In 2006, Marques Colston was the 4th to last pick of the draft, but quickly impressed the Saints' coaching staff and was a starter by opening day.

Who Dat Say: If only it were that easy… Arrington has the measurables; he’s 6’3”, 203 pounds with solid hands and the ability to emerge as a red zone threat, if not blazing speed. However, you can walk out to your local inner-city basketball court and find five guys with similar size and athletic ability. When it comes down to it, some guys can play in the NFL, and some can’t, and the fact that we found an absolute gem in the seventh round of the 2006 draft makes us no more likely to do so again. Although some similarities exist between Colston and Arrington -- they’re both big, athletic receivers with good hands -- Colston slipped so far because virtually no one projected him as a receiver, and frankly, we took a gamble that paid off. And for every Marques Colston, there are 99 Talman Gardners, 99 guys with all the measurables and potential in the world, 99 guys, who for one reason or another, simply cannot play NFL football. We hope Arrington is more Marques than Talman, but the statistics are against it.

Tuesday's Early Reader Rant

Every Tuesday we want you to "go off" on whatever Saints-related topic is bothering you. Tell us how you feel and don't spare any expense. To submit your rant, send an e-mail to whodatsayteam@gmail.com. We will sift through the garbage and post the best stuff every Tuesday. If we get 5 good ones, we'll post them all. Happy complaining.

By reader Cheddar Cheese - Chalmette, LA

I know the saints will most likely wait until team minicamps to see what they already have on their roster before bringing in any more free agents, but there are a few I wouldn't mind going after.

1.) Kevin Jones – that’s right, the Hokie baby. Jones has proven that he cannot be counted on to be the workhorse back for my fantasy team or the Detroit Lions…or for any other NFL team for that matter; but we don't need him for that. He weighs close to 230 and was productive in spurts in Detroit. We already have Deuce, Pierre, and Bush, but if Deuce were to befall injury, we could plug Jones in for a handful of plays a game (as a situational back) to pile up the tough yards...otherwise, our heaviest back would be Stecker at 213lbs, and we know he can't fill the bowling-ball roll. Let the Bungles overpay for Shaun Alexander while we bring in the Hokie for a bottom-based price.

2.) Mike Doss – he was formerly successful in Indy when paired with a healthy Bob Sanders, but Marlin Jackson's arrival made him easily expendable (it didn't help that he was also plagued by injuries). We all know that our safety situation leaves a lot to be desired and I see "taking a flier on Doss" a lot like our decision to bring in Dan Morgan -- though admittedly a little on the lighter side. If he can stay healthy, he will immediately help on special teams and could prove to be a fallback option. The only negative here is that his style is more like Harper than Bullocks -- he's best at the line in run support, or in 2 deep. That said, I would rather have 2 Harpers than a Harper and a Bullocks!

Let me tell all of you Saints fans who we shouldn’t bring in.

1.) Takeo Spikes – this guy is simply too old to cover tight ends and running backs in pass protection. He isn’t nearly as athletic as he use to be because he’s getting up in age. On top of that, he’s no longer quick enough to play outside linebacker. If NFL teams ran the ball or blitzed every play, then he would be our guy. But these days, they pass the ball too. He’s great in run support but sucks in pass protection. We have a similar guy on our team who is just like Spikes. His name is Mark Simoneaux. Simoneaux is the exact reason the Saints went out and signed our new defensive leader, Jonathan Vilma, during the offseason. Bringing in Takeo Spikes would be a pointless addition to the Saints.

Who Dat Say News: Mr. Right Place, Right Time -- McManus to Tryout for Saints

News: It has been a week of highs for former LSU wide-receiver and New Orleans native Josh McManus. On Monday, he traveled to Washington D.C. to visit the White House and shook hands with the President of the United States. On Thursday, he completed his final class as a student at Louisiana State University. And today, he will be between the white lines at the New Orleans Saints' practice facility in Metairie as a participant in the Saints rookie minicamp. In March, GM Mickey Loomis attended LSU's pro-day where Josh, along with several other Tiger football players, worked out for NFL scouts. Loomis told Josh at that time that if they (the Saints) had any space he would like to invite McManus to camp for a tryout. Loomis stood by his word and yesterday McManus checked into the airport Hilton to register for the weekend and recieve his physical.

WhoDatSay: Looks like McManus, who graduates next Friday, will join undrafted free-agent Luke Sanders as the only members of LSU's 2007 National Chamionship Team to tryout for a Saints roster spot this season. McManus attended local Brother Martin High School where he was a standout football player and was named All-State honorable mention, All-Catholic League, and All-District performer as a senior. In his three years at LSU, McManus (5'11", 192) competed with the likes of Skyler Green, Dwayne Bowe, Craig Davis, and Early Doucet. One would assume that running routes day after day along-side those four would prepare any receiver well for the rigors of minicamp. We wish Josh and Luke the best this weekend as we always love to see Louisianians and former Tigers succeed... especially when it's with the "Who-Dats."

Alexander Leaves Without a Contract

News: After his free agent visit with the Saints on Wednesday, Shaun Alexander left without a contract, according to the Times-Picayune. Speculation is that the Saints probably offered Alexander the league minimum, but that was not enough to land him.

Who Dat Say: Like we said before, let Alexander test out the free agent market. Good luck finding a better contract, big guy. We’ll be waiting for you to come crawling back when you realize that nobody is going to give you a big contract, and this is the best shot at a Super Bowl that you’re going to get.

Henry Wants to Play for Saints

News: According to ESPN.com, former Bengal wide receiver Chris Henry cited the Saints and the Cowboys as the two teams he would most like to play for.

Who Dat Say: Henry can certainly play – if he can stay out of jail. Although a Henry-Colston set would be formidable, we do not need this kind of distraction in the locker room. Plus, we would never be able to rely on the guy to be there for a full season. With Payton’s insistence on high-character players, it is doubtful that the Saints will make any move to sign Henry. It is interesting, though, to note how far our franchise has come. When was the last time that a high-profile free agent offered an unsolicited comment that he would like to play for the Saints?

Reader Questions

Reader: Section629SaintsFan - "where the real fans sit"
WhoDatSay: Agreed. There's no place in America like the Terrace.

Section629SaintsFan: Now that the off-season is all but behind us, what was the single best move that the Saints made between the end of last season and now to improve our team?

WhoDatSay: The acquisition of Jonathan Vilma. No question.
For the longest time, the Saints “D” has lacked a heart and soul. Not since the days of Sam Mills have we really had a guy to look to as the “general” of the defense. Vilma could be that guy. First, he plays the right position. You can often look no further than linebacker to find a team’s inspirational leader (Urlacher, Lewis, Butkus, Singletary, Mills etc etc). Second, he’s good. He was the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2004, and, in 2005, he led the NFL in tackles and went to the Pro Bowl. Couple that with a 2006 season in which he compiled 114 tackles, and I think it’s safe to say that Vilma is a proven football player. Consider this: The Jets, with the 4th round pick that we gave them for Vilma, selected show-stopping, razzle dazzle, all-world, (not) First Team-All-American corner Dwight Lowery out of San Jose State. And we got a former pro bowler and a guy who many considered to be the best linebacker in football just a few years ago.

If Vilma is not haunted by the knee injury that he suffered in 2007, and returns to his old form, his acquisition could turn into the biggest steal of the NFL off-season.

Section629SaintsFan: Is there any possibility the Saints give the 350 pound gymnast Walter Thomas another shot this year, or will he be in Beijing competing in the uneven bars and floor exercise?

WhoDatSay: Thomas, unfortunately, is already headed to Beijing to participate in the 2008 Olympics. Payton and company desperately wanted to give him another shot, but Bela Karolyi had already snapped him up. He is currently rooming with Dominique Dawes and training full-time in Malaysia. When asked about his upcoming stint in the Olympics, Thomas said, “I tried to convince Hollis Thomas to switch from football to floor exercises, but Ed Orgeron ripped his shirt off, drank a Red Bull, and started to eat Coach Karolyi.” Thomas is now dating Nadia Comaneci, and the two plan to wed in June.